JAMES CHANING PLEADS GUILTY TO ABUSE AT STONYHURST COLLEGE IN LANCASHIRE

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community surrounding Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, James Chaning, a former teacher and priest, was found guilty of sexually abusing multiple boys during his tenure at the prestigious institution. The abuse, which took place over several years, involved young students as young as 12, and occurred within the confines of the school grounds, including in his personal study and a tree-house where boys were allowed to sleep overnight.

Chaning, who was convicted at Preston Crown Court, was initially sentenced to five years in prison. However, following an appeal funded by the Society of Jesus, the Jesuit organization that operates the school and supports Chaning, his sentence was reduced to three years. The appeal was specifically related to one of the victims, a 16-year-old boy, with the judges questioning whether the jury had been properly instructed on whether the older pupil had consented to the acts on three separate occasions.

The case has sparked widespread condemnation, particularly from children’s charities and advocacy groups, who have criticized the Catholic Church’s involvement in funding the appeal. The exact cost of the appeal remains undisclosed, but the decision to support Chaning’s case has been met with outrage. Father Michael Smith of the Society of Jesus defended the organization’s actions, stating that Chaning was still considered a member of their community and that he had the right to appeal. Smith emphasized that Chaning had always disputed the charges, except for four counts of molestation, to which he pleaded guilty.

Further scrutiny has been directed at the Society of Jesus, which removed Chaning from Stonyhurst College in 1995 after receiving a letter alleging similar misconduct during his previous employment at a school in Zimbabwe a decade earlier. Despite this, police were not involved until a year later, after parents of one of the victims reported an assault to the school authorities.

One of the victims, who is now seeking compensation, has expressed feelings of betrayal and anger over the handling of the case. Chaning, who was ordained 24 years ago, spent 15 years in priestly training and was part of the global Jesuit community, which numbers approximately 24,000 members worldwide. During the period leading up to his conviction, the Society of Jesus attributed their failure to act on warnings about Chaning’s behavior to a breakdown in communication. Prior to his conviction, he was sent to Canada for psychiatric treatment and later transferred to Our Lady of Victories in Gloucestershire, a retreat center for priests who have fallen from grace, both in the UK and Ireland.